Feed-water regulator.



No. 683,359. Patented Sept. 24,1901.

- J. E. WALSH.

- FEED WATER REGULATOR.

(Appli ation med Apr. 10, 1901.) (No Model.)

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llllii U ITED STATES PATENT ()EEICE.

JAMES E. WALSH, OF HUDSON, MASSACHUSETTS.

"FEED-WATER IREGULATOR.

srsoimolirion formingpartof Letters Patent No. 683,359, dated September24, 1901.-

Application filed April is, 1901.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES E. WALSH, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Hudson,

county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented anImprovement in Feed- Water Regulators, of whichthe followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention is an automatic mechanism for regulating, the supply offeed-water to a boiler according to the height of the water in thewater-column or in the boiler, and it comprises, stated in generalterms, a float rising and falling according to the changing level ofwater in the boiler and operating to automatically open or close a valvecontrolling the water-supply and also preferably to regulatecorrespondingly the steam-supply leading to the pump.

In the drawings, in which I have shown a preferred embodiment of myinvention, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of theapparatus, parts being broken away for convenience of illustration. Fig.2 is a similar sectional view taken at right angles thereto. Fig. 3 isan enlarged sectional view of the float, showing also the automaticsteam controller. r

For convenience of illustration and description I have herein shown myinvention as applied externally to a boiler A in connection with awater-column A; but it will be understood that it may be otherwiselocated according to the requirements of the plant or convenience of thestructure. The water-column A is connected in usual manner to the boilerA by a lower water-pipe a and an upper steam-pipe a and supplied withwater through a pipe a by any suitable means, a pump B being hereinshown for the purpose, said pump being preferably driven by steamsupplied through a pipe a Within the water-column A is a float a of anysuitable construction, said float having at a convenient place (hereinshown as at a a steam-inlet, preferably consisting of a loose joint asur rounding the steam-pipe a", so that as the steam flows through thepipe a and into the upper portion of the water-column it enters freelywithin the float and passes through ports a provided in a guide-columnor tubution of the plant.

Serial No. 66,418. (No model.)

lar slide a standing centrally within the drum, into the pipe 0. whichdepends from the top of the water-column, and enters within the floatand tube a This is the preferred construction, although it will beunderstood that the requirement is merely that the pipe a shall havemeans for regulating the flow of steam therethrough, said means beingoperated by the rising and falling of the float, and the constructionpreferably requires that one of these members shall have ports to beclosed by the reciprocatingmovement between them, and together theyreally constitute a slidevalve. As the float rises and falls, accordingto the varying height of water in the column A, the lower end of thepipe 01. serves to open or closecorrespondingly the ports a therebypermitting the steam to pass with more or less freedom through saidports into the pipe at for running the pump B or performing such otherwork as may be required in the opera- Also as the float rises and fallsit serves automatically to cut ofif or open the passage through the pipea For the latter purpose a valve 0 (herein shown as a balanced valve) isprovided below the float, being contained in a casing 0, having astuffingbox 0 at its upper end, through which passes a rod 0 rigidlydepending from the float, to the lower end of which is secured the valveproper, a operating against opposite ways c c in a well-known manner. a

As more or less water will condense from the steam inside of the float,I provide driptubes a in the bottom of the float, connecting with eachother at a and provided with a spiral or extensible portion a in thelower part of the column and passing out at 0. a valve a being containedat any suitable location, so that the condensed water may be permittedto run off at any time desired.

In operation as the pump B forces water through the pipe a into theboiler, thereby gradually raising the level thereof, the float acorrespondingly rises and automatically cuts off the steam-supply, whichenters into the pipe a through the ports a and passes thence tothe pump,so that in this manner the pump is gradually slowed down until theboiler gets full, when it is stopped, and at the same time the passageof the water through the pipe a is gradually shut off, therebypreventing any back pressure therefrom on the engineer connected parts.

The apparatus, as will be readily understood without furtherdescription, operates automatically as the Water descends, permittingniore steam to pass through the ports a into the pipe a thereby startingup the pump, while at the same time-the valve 0 is operated to permitthe Water to flow readily into the boiler.

I am aware that many changes in arrangement and combination of parts maybe resorted to without departing fromthe spirit and scope of myinvention.

For ordinary day service, and especially in large plants, the apparatuswill ordinarily be used as shown, employing both the steam-cutofi' Valveand the Water-cut-ofl" valve; but in other situations, and particularlyat night, it is sometimes desirable simply to turn on the said waterfrom the hydrant instead of depending upon the pump and deliver thesteam from the boiler to any portion of the office or building which itmay be desired to keep warmed at a low temperature through the night.This change from day service to night service is required in someplants, and my apparatus makes it extremelyeasy of accomplishment, whileduring the day or work time both the steam and water valve may be usedin the regular way, as above explained.

My invention is capable of various other adaptations and uses, andaccordingly I do not limit myself otherwise than as specifiedhereinafter in the claims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters 1 Patent, is-

V 1 In a feed-water regulator for a boiler, a float arranged to rise andfall automatically as the water-level changes, a steamdelivery pipe,said pipe terminating within said float, a steam-inlet in saidfloatpermitting the steam to enter freely, and a device within said float andagainst which said pipe slides, one being provided with ports for'thepassage of steam into said pipe from said float, said portsbeing openedand closed by'said sliding movein'ent.

2 In a feed-water regulator for a boiler, a float arranged to rise andfall automatically as the water-level changes, a steam-delivery pipe,said pipe extending within said float, a

' steam-inlet in said float permitting the steam to enter freely, adevice within said float and against which said pipe slides, one beingprovided with ports for the passage of steam int-0 said pipe from saidfloat, said ports being opened and closed by said slidingmovement, and adrip-pipe secured to the bottom of said float and provided with anextensible connec tion for conducting away drippings.

3. In a feed-water regulator for a boiler, a float arranged to rise andfall automatically as the water-level changes,- said float having aguide-column extending vertically therein,- and a steam-delivery pipeterminating in said float, the latter being guided thereon by saidguide-column, said steam-pipe freely receiv= ing steam from said float.v

at. In a feed-Water regulator for a boiler, a float arranged to rise andfall automatically as the water-level changes, said float being freelyopen to the entrance of steam at its upper side, a guide-column-withinthe float, a steam-pipe terminating within the float, and cooperatingwith said guide-column, a drippipe for collecting the condensations fromsaid floatand from said steam-pipe, and means for conducting away thedrippings from said drip-pipe.

5. In a feed-water regulator for a boiler,- a float arranged to rise andfall automatically as the water-level changes, said float being freelyopen to the entrance of steam at its up per side, a guide-column withinthe float, and cooperating with said guide-column, opposite driprpipessymmetrically secured to the bottom of said float, and a coil of pipeconnected ,to said drip-pipes at one end and passing at "its other endthrough the inclosure of the regulator for conducting the condensation,aWay.

6. A feed-water regulator comprising a wa 1 ter-colum-n containing afloat, said float being 4 open at its top to the free entrance of steam,a steam-pipe passing through the wall of said "water-column andterminating within said float, a, drip-pipe secured to the bottom ofsaid l float for catching the drippings from said steam-pipe and floatand conducting the same lfro-m said water-column, a water-pipe passingfacross said Water-column, a valve in said lpipe, and a connection fromsaid float to said %valve for operating the latter by the movement ofsaid float, thereby regulating the flow of water according to theposition of the float.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES E. WALSH.

Witnesses:

ALTON B. SMALL,

OLIVE O. FLAGG.

